Most parents-to-be expect the birth of their child to be an exciting and joyous experience. Unfortunately, for many families in Indiana and across the U.S., births turn into tragedies. The maternal death rate in the country is going up as the world rate goes down, according to NPR. This is a cause for concern. One of the leading countries in quality medical care should not have mother’s dying before, during and shortly after giving birth.
One possible cause for this rise is preexisting medical conditions, such as diabetes or heart conditions. Death is also commonly related to obesity, which is often a factor in these diseases. Heart-related deaths of mothers are something that was not even seen until recent years. More common causes of death, such as eclampsia and hemorrhaging, are still seen, but not at increasing rates, like with other medical conditions not specifically related to the pregnancy.
The New York Times noted a few other possible reasons why mothers may be dying in childbirth. Issues like infections and blood clots may be more common now due to the increase of C-sections, which are surgery and carry additional risks. In addition, mothers are older than they have been in the past, which increases the likelihood of complications. However, what may be most prevalent and is shown in the statistics, medical providers seem to be paying more attention to the care of newborns than their mothers. The infant survival rate is strong and growing at the expense of the mortality rate for mothers.